Coconut Pasta Sauce

Stay with me here, because I know this sounds weird. But I had this ½ tin of coconut milk leftover from the rice pudding I posted in the last post and I was going to make a Thai red curry. But M’s tummy was being sensitive, so she suggested I use it to make a pasta sauce instead of something spicy. I lightly stir-fried some spring greens in sesame oil, added sugar snap peas, and then threw in the coconut milk. We had this with farfalle and it worked out really well. It was full of flavour and lightly sweet. You could also add smoked fish for an extra dimension, if you eat fish.

Dairy-Free Rice Pudding

Since my sweetie can’t have dairy but wanted rice pudding, I tried to think of a way of making a nice dairy-free pudding for her. You need very little sugar since the coconut milk is quite rich and sweet on its own.

Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

oil to grease the dish

½ cup pudding rice

2½ tins of coconut milk (save the other ½ tin for something else)

4 tsp cinnamon, or more to taste

1 tsp nutmeg, or more to taste

2 tsp vanilla, or more to taste

2 tbsp coconut palm sugar (or regular sugar), or to taste

½ cup raisins, or more to taste (I soak them in boiling water first, to plump them up)

Instructions:

1. Grease an oven-safe dish and put the pudding rice, 1½ tins coconut milk, and 2 tsp cinnamon in it.

2. Bake at 150 C for 40 minutes

3. Stir, then grate in the nutmeg. Add another ½ tin of coconut milk and the vanilla. Bake for another 20 minutes.

4. Stir again, then add the rest of the coconut milk and cinnamon, and the raisins.

5. Bake for another 20 minutes, then serve.

Buckwheat Pancakes

Serve this with bananas or berries. We had it as a comforting dinner one chilly winter evening.

Ingredients:

1 cup buckwheat flour

½ cup plain flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp vanilla

1-2 tsp sugar

2 eggs

1½ cups milk

oil

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together except the oil.

2. Warm the oil in a frying pan.

3. Fry the pancakes on both sides until browned.

Happy Birthday, M!

Today is my beloved wife’s birthday, so I just want to wish her a wonderful day. She makes every day a joy – I feel like the luckiest person in the world because I wake up next to her.

So here’s to you, M. Many, many more happy and healthy birthdays to you.

I love you!

Artichoke Pie

This was delicious with Jules and Sharpie’s spicy mint sauce.

Ingredients:

100 g spring greens or spinach

oil

1 tsp honey

2 tsp tamari

1 tin artichoke hearts

1 container tofu

2 eggs

phyllo dough

Instructions:

1. Wash and chop the greens/spinach. Steam or stir-fry with the oil, honey, and tamari until wilted.

2. Drain and chop the artichokes and chop the tofu. Mix them and two eggs with the greens.

3. Lightly oil an oven-safe dish. Place two sheets of phyllo on the bottom. Top with some of the mixture.

4. Place another sheet on top, then add the rest of the mixture. Top with another sheet of phyllo.

5. Fold the dough so it forms a package and brush a little oil on top.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 200 C.

Seasoned Chickpeas

This is easy to vary, as you can add any spices you like. You can have this as a snack (instead of crisps, for example) or with rice. I served it with red rice and radish sprouts recently and it worked out very well. A dollop of sour cream or yogurt would go well with it too.

Ingredients:

1 tin or container of chickpeas

olive oil

spices (I used 1 tsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp crushed chilli flakes, 2 tsp mint, 1 tsp ginger)

Instructions:

1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the spices, cook for a minute or two, then add the chickpeas.

3. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once in a while. Then increase the heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the chickpeas are popping a bit.

4. Serve as is or with rice.

Sweet Potato and Aubergine Curry

I had sweet potatoes leftover after making the pancakes I posted the other day, so I thought I’d make a curry with them. I also had an aubergine that was verging on too old, so I decided to use it up. I wasn’t sure how well they’d go together, but luckily, it actually did work out quite well. The sweet potato tasted great with the spicy curry sauce and I would like to try it with courgette as well some time.

Ingredients:

1 aubergine

1 sweet potato

oil

1-3 tbsp red curry paste, depending on taste

1 tin coconut milk

rice

water

Instructions:

1. Wash and dice the aubergine. Peel and chop the sweet potato. If you want, you can boil it for 5-10 minutes first, to soften it.

2. Stir-fry the vegetables in oil until soft, then add some red curry paste and a bit of the coconut milk. Continue cooking.

3. Cook the rice in water. When it’s almost done, add about 1 tsp of the curry paste to flavour it and some of the coconut milk.

4. Add the remainder of the curry paste and coconut milk to the vegetables.

5. Serve the vegetables over the rice.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato

water

¼ cup milk

½ cup flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp sugar

1 egg

oil

agave or maple syrup to serve with it

Instructions:

1. Peel and chop the potato, then boil it in the water for 10-15 minutes.

2. Mashed it with the milk and combine it with all the other ingredients through the egg.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the pancakes a few at a time.

4. Serve with agave or maple syrup.

Mushroom Pasta

This is a fast but tasty meal for a weeknight, great with a salad.

Ingredients:

olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves

mushrooms (5-7 large mushrooms or about 10 small ones)

tarragon, parsley, and/or other herbs

pasta (about 50 g per person)

water

2 eggs

truffle oil

black pepper

Instructions:

1. Warm the oil in a frying pan and chop the garlic and add it to the pan.

2. Brush the mushrooms clean, slice them, and add them to the pan. Sprinkle with the herbs.

3. While the mushrooms are cooking, boil the pasta in the water.

4. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, then beat the eggs in with the pasta, stirring the whole time.

5. Stir in the mushrooms, season with truffle oil and black pepper, and serve.

The Joy of Salads

Salads are such an easy, healthy dinner, and they can be varied endlessly. A recent salad consisted of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, radish sprouts (for some zing), hard-boiled egg, and flaxseeds, and I made a simple dressing from olive oil, ume plum seasoning, and tamari. It was delicious and filling.

To vary, use different nuts or seeds or sprouts. Add peppers, olives, shredded beetroot or carrots, or other vegetables. Even some fruits, such as apples, work well. For dressings, use lemon juice, yogurt, herbs, vinegar, and various oils. And so on. Be imaginative!

Vermicelli Dessert

This is like rice pudding, but with noodles instead of rice, and not baked.

Ingredients:

½ cup – 1 cup milk (I used rice milk)

1-2 tbsp sugar (I used coconut palm sugar)

1 tsp cinnamon

50 g raisins

50 g almonds

75 g vermicelli noodles

Instructions:

1. Warm the milk with the sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan for about 5-10 minutes, until the milk reduces somewhat.

2. Add the raisins and almonds and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

3. Add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Pour into bowls and serve.

Cashew “Cheese”

This is similar to the almond cheese I posted not that long ago, but it has a more distinct cashew flavour, somewhat like cashew butter. This means that it’s not the best raw cheese to use in pasta, for example, unless you like cashews. It is good on toast or as an appetizer. You can season it however you like (I give a suggestion below)

200 g cashews

water

2 probiotic capsules (from a health food store), or about 2 tsp probiotic powder

1-2 tbsp yeast flakes (such as Engevita)

1 tbsp coconut palm sugar or honey or regular sugar

1 pinch salt

1 tsp black pepper, optional

Instructions:

1. Soak the cashews in water overnight.

2. Drain the cashews and grind them in a food processor or blender until fairly small (they can look like the ground almonds you buy in the store or a bit bigger). Add a little water if you need to.

3. Open the probiotic capsules and pour the powder in.

4. Mix well. Put in a bowl, cover the cashews with plastic wrap so the plastic is touching the cashews, and then leave the cashews to ferment for 24-48 hours. Taste after 24 hours to see if it’s sour/cheesy enough for your taste.

5. Season the “cheese” by mixing in yeast flakes, sugar, salt, and black pepper, or any other combination of flavours.

6. Serve on crackers or toast or in a bowl as a dip.

Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

1¾ cups flour (200 g)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp sugar

1¼ cups milk (about 300 ml) (I used rice milk)

1 egg

200 g blueberries (I used frozen)

oil

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients except the oil together.

2. Warm oil in a frying pan and make 2-4 pancakes at a time.

3. Serve warm with agave or honey.

Queer Quotes

These names: gay, queer, homosexual are limiting. I would love to finish with them. We're going to have to decide which terms to use and where we use them. For me to use the word "queer" is a liberation; it was a word that frightened me, but no longer.

--Derek Jarman

I'd add that we're not yet at a place where we can get rid of labels, but I'm hopeful that we will some day... 

Pasta with Raw Cheese

One evening, I was feeling weak and told M I was just going to make a simple, dull pasta dish. It turned into anything but dull. It was delicious and I couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers the next day for lunch. The raw cheese added a great flavour.

Ingredients:

broccoli

pasta (about 50 g per person)

olive oil

1 tin artichoke hearts

1 tin tomatoes

olives

raw cheese (see recipe a few posts back; you can also use regular cheese if you prefer)

truffle oil

Instructions:

1. Wash and chop the broccoli and boil it and the pasta together for 10-15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Drain and add the artichokes and warm for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juice and simmer.

3. Slice the olives and add them.

4. Serve the pasta and broccoli topped with the tomato sauce. Add spoonfuls of raw cheese and drizzle with truffle oil.

Leek Soup

This was a very simple recipe for a chilly day, delicious with fresh bread.

Ingredients:

2 leeks

oil

1 stock cube

2-3 small potatoes or 1 medium one

water

milk or cream (I used rice milk)

black pepper

mint

Instructions:

1. Wash and chop the leeks. Fry them lightly in the oil and crumble in the stock cube.

2. Wash and slice the potatoes and add them to the pan.

3. Add water and cook for 20-30 minutes (until the potatoes are tender).

4. Blend with a hand blender and add milk or cream to taste. Season with black pepper and mint to taste.

Vegetable Stew

This was a hearty meal, especially served with the dumplings and bread I posted in the last two posts. You can easily vary the amounts and the vegetables.

Ingredients:

oil

5 shallots

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp tomato puree

1 vegetable stock cube

1 pinch rosemary

2 tbsp flour

3 parsnips

4 carrots

½-1 sweet potato

4-8 little new potatoes or 2-3 medium potatoes

1 apple

water

½ cup orange juice

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe casserole.

2. Dice the shallots and sauté them for a few minutes over low heat.

3. Add the honey, tomato puree, stock cube, rosemary, and flour, and cook for a couple of minutes.

4. Peel and dice all the vegetables and the apple. You can choose how large to leave the pieces. Small pieces cook more quickly but large ones might look nicer to you.

5. Add the vegetables to the pan and cover with water and orange juice.

6. Roast in the oven, covered, at 180 C for about an hour.

7. Stir, add the dumplings (if using them), and cook for another 20-30 minutes.

Dumplings

I saw a recipe in <a href=" http://www.vegetarianliving.co.uk/themagazine.php?issue=18">Vegetarian Living magazine</a> for root vegetable pot roast with parsley dumplings and since M’s mum gave us her Le Creuset stoneware, I thought I’d make a variation on the dish in the stoneware for when she came over for lunch.

These dumplings can be varied with any herb or spice (or none) and can be used in most soups or stews.

Ingredients:

6 tbsp vegetarian suet (about 50 g)

1½ cups flour (125 g)

1 tsp baking powder

2-4 tbsp fresh herbs

5-8 tbsp cold water

Instructions:

1. Mix the suet, flour, and baking powder together.

2. Wash and chop the herbs and add them to the mixture.

3. Add enough cold water so the mixture gets pliable. Roll it into little balls.

4. Put the dumplings into the soup or stew and cook, covered, for about 20-30 minutes.

Almost White Bread

I don’t really like white bread that much, but M and M’s mum prefer it so when we had her mum over for lunch, I thought I should make a white loaf. But to make it a bit healthier, I added some brown flour too. I couldn’t go fully white! But if you prefer white, use all white flour instead. We let it prove twice, but once is enough.

Ingredients:

5 cups flour (about 500 g) (I used 3 cups of white bread flour and 2 cups of brown bread flour)

2 tsp yeast

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp honey

4 tbsp oil (I used 3 tbsp sunflower and 1 tbsp olive to add a slight tang to it)

1 cup warm water (about 225 ml)

Instructions:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add in the honey, oil, and water. Mix with a bread hook in a stand mixer or else knead on a floured surface. We mixed it in the mixer and then M kneaded it too.

2. Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.

3. Knead again and either prove a second time or bake.

4. Bake for about 20-25 minutes at 200 C.

Eating for Health

I’ve been a vegetarian for over a dozen years now and for some time before that I only ate chicken and fish. My family thought – and still thinks – that it’s “weird” and “unhealthy” to be a vegetarian. They often make comments about what I eat (or don’t eat) and tell me it’s impossible for me to be healthy as a vegetarian.

Actually, however, I have fibromyalgia, so the situation for me is different than it is for my nay-saying relatives. The fibro was extremely bad during my undergraduate years. Doctors put me on so many medications that I felt spacey and drugged out for much of the time. There are months that I can scarcely remember.

Then one doctor suggested I try cutting meat out completely. I’d long considered vegetarianism for ethical reasons, but it was simply too difficult in my family, because of a strict father who would not have permitted me to eat something different for dinner than he ate. But then I had permission – even encouragement – from a doctor. My father was not going to argue with a doctor.

Okay, the doctor also suggested I cut out bread. I tried that but it was hard to give up, so that didn’t last.

The vegetarianism did last, though. I found that I definitely had less muscle pain with a vegetarian diet. I was able to do the ethical thing and also take care of my health. I went off all medications (except the occasional over-the-counter pain-reliever), I slept better (still not brilliantly, I must admit), and the pain was nowhere near as bad.

I still had to deal with complaints and derision from my family (who sometimes take pleasure in taunting me by showing me the big steaks they are eating and/or making animal noises while they chow down on lamb chops or pork roasts), but I moved away from my hometown and was able to take complete control over my diet.

Mentally and physically, vegetarianism has been very healthy for me indeed.

Red Rice and Lentils

This sounds plain, but the flavours work together well and this has a sweet finish. You can, af always, add other herbs, spices, or vegetables.

Ingredients:

olive oil

2 shallots

2 tsp honey

1 stock cube

¾ cup red rice

water

¾ cup puy lentils

2-4 tsp tomato puree

watercress

mint

Instructions:

1. Warm the oil in a saucepan.

2. Dice the shallots and add them and the honey to the pan. Fry lightly for a few minutes.

3. Add the stock cube and rice and mix everything for a moment or two.

4. Add the water (about twice as much as the rice) and simmer for about 10 minutes.

5. Add the lentils and more water. Cook for another 25-30 minutes, checking for the tenderness of the lentils.

6. Stir in the tomato puree, watercress, and mint.

Raw Fruit Cake

This is another recipe I learned at the raw food workshop, but as usual I changed it. I made it in a heart-shaped silicone mould (which we lined with plastic wrap, for ease of removing and cleaning) and it was very nice for a luncheon with M’s mum, although I think she might have thought it was a bit too hearty. We liked it, though.

You can of course also add liquor, such as whisky.

Ingredients:

700-900 g dried fruit (depending on how large you want your cake) – you can use dates, apricots, prunes, raisins, figs, sultanas, currants, or any other such item. I used apricots, raisins, dates, and prunes.

1 lemon

½ cup orange juice (you can also add or use instead any other fruit juice; I had pear juice left from the previous recipe – the pear cake – so I added that as well)

2-4 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp vanilla

100 g ground almonds

whole or flakes almonds

Instructions:

1. Chop the fruit and put it in a large bowl. Add the zest and juice from the lemon, the orange juice, any other juice, and the spices. Leave to marinate for a few hours.

2. Chop some of the fruit finely in a food processor, adding in some ground almonds. Add more almonds and fruit, a bit at a time, and keep chopping until smooth. If you want, reserve some whole fruit.

3. Put the fruit and almond mixture into a tin (add the whole fruit if you kept some). Decorate with the almonds or incorporate them into the mixture.

4. Leave to set in the fridge for some hours (or, if you must, bake it for a little while at low heat).

Pear Cake

Some time ago, I discovered <a href="http://bravetart.com">BraveTart</a>, a fantastic dessert blog. This is the first dish I’ve made from it, but I’ve changed it from a <a href="http://bravetart.com/recipes/PearLayerCake">layer cake</a> to just a regular cake and I’ve adapted it to our tastes.

Ingredients:

about 550 g firm pears (about 3 pears)

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

1½ cups sugar (200 g)

½ cup vegetable oil (about 115 g)

1¾ cups flour (about 170 g)

Instructions:

1. Peel and grate the pears, then squeeze out most of the juice. Save the juice.

2. Whisk the eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and sugar together.

3. Pour in the oil, still whisking.

4. Add the flour and the shredded pears. Mix.

5. Pour the batter into a greased tin. Bake at 200 C for 20-25 minutes.

6. You can pour some of the pear juice over the cake as a sort of topping, or heat it with sugar or honey into a sort of syrup, and then pour it over the cake.

Almond “Cheese”

Last year, I attended a raw food cooking class. I enjoyed learning about a different way of cooking and I loved getting to try the various creations. The first thing that I made at home based on what I did in class was almond “cheese”. My darling M can’t have dairy and is also trying to avoid soya, so I thought this would be a good way to let her have the taste of cheese without actually having dairy cheese or soya cheese.

It looks like an involved recipe, but actually, it’s very easy. It just takes a few days.

You can change the seasonings as you like.

Ingredients:

250 g almonds (whole or flaked; I used a combination)

water

2 probiotic capsules (from a health food store), or about 2 tsp probiotic powder

1-2 tbsp yeast flakes (such as Engevita)

1 tbsp coconut palm sugar or honey or regular sugar

1 pinch salt

1 tsp black pepper, optional

Instructions:

1. Soak the almonds in water overnight.

2. Drain the almonds and grind them in a food processor or blender until fairly small (they can look like the ground almonds you buy in the store or a bit bigger). Add a little water if you need to.

3. Open the probiotic capsules and pour the powder in.

4. Mix well. Put in a bowl, cover the almonds with plastic wrap so the plastic is touching the almonds, and then leave the almonds to ferment for 24-48 hours. Taste after 24 hours to see if it’s sour/cheesy enough for your taste.

5. Season the “cheese” by mixing in yeast flakes, sugar, salt, and black pepper, or any other combination of flavours.

6. Serve on crackers or toast or in a bowl as a dip.

Sweet Potato and Spring Greens Pie

I saw a recipe in <a href=" http://www.vegetarianliving.co.uk/themagazine.php?issue=18">Vegetarian Living magazine</a> for a pithivier and thought I’d use some of the ideas from the recipe. A pithivier is a sort of round pie, with filling between two circles of puffy pastry. The recipe was for sweet potato, onion, cheese, and French beans.  I like sweet potato, so I took that and added spring greens and herbs to make it more our taste, plus I dispensed with the circle part, as that just seemed a bit fussy.

This was a good recipe for a chilly winter night. As usual, we had leftovers, so it was perfect for the next day, when we just had time for a quick bite before going out for drinks and nibbles at a friend’s place.

You can vary the veg (use regular potatoes, for example, or add spinach, or corn) and the herbs/spices (parsley or coriander, for example, or chilli pepper).

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato (or half a large one – M could only get a massive one at the store, and it weighed in at 800 g)

water

1 onion

1 fennel

oil

1 tsp honey or coconut palm sugar or regular sugar

100 g spring greens

nigella seeds (onion seeds)

2 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp dried mint

500 g puff pastry

2 eggs

1/8 cup milk (I used rice milk)

Instructions:

1. Peel and slice the sweet potato into thin slices. Boil it in the water until soft, about 10 minutes, then drain.

2. Dice the onion and fennel and brown in oil in a frying pan. Add the honey or sugar and cook a few more minutes,

3. Wash and slice the spring greens, then add them to the pan.

4. Season the onion and greens mixture with nigella, mustard, and mint (or other herbs/spices).

5. Roll out the pastry into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Oil an oven-safe dish and line with the larger piece of pastry.

6. Put the sweet potatoes and greens in the pastry.

7. Beat the eggs with the milk and add most of it to the pie.

8. Put the smaller piece of pastry on top as a lid and crimp the edges. Brush the rest of the eggs on top as a glaze.

9. Bake at 200 C for 30 minutes.

Saffron Biscotti

I love to use saffron in autumn and winter baking; there’s something autumnal about the deep flavour of saffron that just feels soothing.

Ingredients:

0.5 g saffron (you can also go up to 1 g, but that’s a bit much for me)

2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil (or 100 g butter)

2 eggs

whole almonds or flaked almonds

Instructions:

1. Grind the saffron with a pestle and mortar. Add a bit of the sugar if that helps.

2. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, oil, and eggs. Add the saffron and mix well.

3. Add the almonds.

4. Shape the dough into three little logs. Bake at 175 C for 15-20 minutes.

5. Slice the logs into slices. Bake at 130 C for 10 minutes.

6. Turn the slices to the other side and bake for another 5 minutes.

Apple and Potato Latkes

I love traditional potato and onion latkes (pancakes), but sometimes it’s good to change old favourite recipes a bit for some variety. So when I saw <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/14/dining/polishing-up-latkes-with-apples-a-good-appetite.html?_r=2&ref=dining">this recipe</a> in the New York Times, I thought I’d try it, though of course I adapted it to our tastes and what we had on hand. You can serve them with sour cream, apple sauce, sugar, and/or any other toppings you would like.

Ingredients:

2-3 apples

1 onion

5 new potatoes (or 1-2 large ones)

¾ cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp sugar

1 pinch salt

3 eggs

oil

Instructions:

1. Peel the apples and onion and grate them into a mixing bowl.

2. If using a large potato, peel it, but there’s no need if using new potatoes. Grate the potatoes into the bowl.

3. Squeeze the grated fruit and veg to get as much moisture out as possible.

4. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, and salt to the bowl. Mix well.

5. Break the eggs in and mix everything together.

6. Warm some oil in a frying pan. Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and fry the latkes on both sides.

Artichoke Soufflé or Dip

If you make it according to this recipe, it’s a soufflé. If you add some cheese, it will be a melty, gooey dip for bread. Either way, it’s tasty and different. You can also combine it with spinach.

Ingredients:

1-2 cloves garlic

1 tin artichokes

¼ cup milk or cream (oat or soy cream or rice milk all work fine)

2 eggs

herbs (parsley, mint, or other herbs of your choice)

smoked paprika and/or black pepper

oil

Instructions:

1. Chop the garlic. Drain and chop the artichokes.

2. Mix the garlic and artichokes in a food processor until finely chopped.

3. Add the milk, eggs, herbs, and spices. Mix again until a fairly smooth paste.

4. Oil an oven-safe dish. Pour the mixture into the dish and bake for 20 minutes at 200 C until golden and puffy.

Mincemeat Muffins

Looking for something different to do with mincemeat, I made muffins. A friend of mine showed me a recipe for mincemeat cupcakes and I changed it around. You can also turn these into cupcakes by icing them, but I was trying to save a few calories. This recipe just makes six, rather filling muffins, but can easily be doubled.

Ingredients:

1 cup flour (about 100 g)

½ cup sugar (about 115 g)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

¼ cup oil (or use 115 g butter)

125 g mincemeat

2 eggs

1 tsp ground ginger, optional

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together.

2. Put the mixture into muffin cases in a muffin tray, filling each case about 2/3 full.

3. Bake at 180 C for about 20 minutes.

Chestnut Stir-Fry

I posted about roasted chestnuts last time and I just want to add that I’ve started including them in stir-fries. It’s delicious and adds a subtle, full flavour to the stir-fry. A great combination was red pepper, shallot, chestnuts, and mange tout. I seasoned it with tamari sauce and sour plum juice (but lemon juice would be fine). We liked it so much that we had it again just a few days later. And yes, you can use ready-prepared chestnuts if you prefer.

Roasted Chestnuts

This couldn’t be easier and it’s a lovely, healthy treat. You can also de-shell the chestnuts partway through the roasting, then season them with salt, pepper, paprika, truffle oil, and/or any other spices/flavourings, then continue roasting them.

Oh, all right, it’s also quite easy to just buy chestnuts in a vacuum-sealed pack, but come on, when they’re fresh they’re great!

Ingredients:

chestnuts

Instructions:

1. Score an “x” on the flat side of each chestnut. Put the chestnuts on a baking tray and roast for 15-25 minutes at 200 C.

2. Peel the shell off and eat, or crumble the chestnuts and use as stuffing or flavouring.

Apple, Pear, and Mincemeat Tart

M liked the tart I made for her mum’s birthday so much that she requested it for her birthday too. This time I mixed it up by adding pears too.

Ingredients:

3 apples

oil

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 pears

phyllo (also spelled filo) dough

½ jar mincemeat

Instructions:

1. Wash and slice the apples. You can also peel them if you prefer.

2. Fry them lightly in oil with the sugar and cinnamon, until a touch golden and caramelised.

3. Oil an oven-safe dish. Place two sheets of filo dough in it as the bottom.

4. Wash and chop the pears. Mix the apples, pears, and mincemeat on top of the dough. I used several layers of fruit and filo to make it a little nicer.

5. Top with a piece of dough and fold it all up like a parcel.

6. Bake at 200 C for about 20-25 minutes.

Honey and Mustard Stir-Fry

Obviously, you can use any vegetables you like, but the combination of honey and mustard (and, for a touch of tartness, add some lemon juice or sour plum) works really well with greens and potatoes.

Ingredients:

6-8 new potatoes (or 2 larger ones)

water

2-3 shallots

oil

1-2 carrots

1-2 parsnips (or a piece of swede)

honey

mustard

spinach or spring greens

100 g tofu

lemon juice, if desired

Instructions:

1. Wash the potatoes, then boil them for 15-20 minutes in the water.

2. Peel and dice the shallots, then fry them lightly in the oil.

3. Peel and dice the carrots and parsnips and add them to the pan.

4. Add honey and mustard and let the vegetables caramelise a bit.

5. Wash and dice the spring greens. Add them to the pan.

6. Chop the tofu and add it as well. Stir-fry everything together for another 5-10 minutes.

7. Sprinkle with lemon juice, if desired, and serve.

Spinach and Watercress Tart

This is beautifully green and refreshing.

You can add smoked salmon to this if you want. You can also make shortcrust pastry instead of using filo.

Ingredients:

olive oil

3-4 sheets filo dough

150 g spinach

lemon juice

1 pinch salt

75 g watercress

3 eggs

½ cup yogurt (I used soy yogurt)

2 tsp mustard

black pepper, to taste

nutmeg or onion seeds, as desired.

Instructions:

1. Oil an oven-safe dish. Place two sheets of filo dough in it as the bottom.

2. Wilt the spinach (if it’s fresh) in a saucepan over low heat, with 1 tsp oil, 1-2 tsp lemon juice, and the salt.

3. Mix the wilted (or defrosted) spinach and the watercress. Beat the eggs and add them to the spinach. Mix in the yogurt and mustard and any other spices or seasonings you’re using.

4. Put the filling on top of the dough and spread it out. Sprinkle with a little more lemon juice and olive oil.

5. Put the last 1-2 sheets of filo on top of the filling. Fold the filo over so it makes a parcel. Sprinkle with olive oil.

6. Bake at 200 C for about 20-25 minutes, until golden.

Apple and Mincemeat Tart

For M’s mum’s birthday, which was near Christmas, I made a simple apple and mincemeat tart for dessert (and yes, I make so many recipes that I’m not getting around to posting this until August). Unfortunately, in our rush, M and I left the dessert home. We had so many bags to carry that we forgot that one. When we came back, the tart was still waiting patiently by the front door, so we promptly put it in the oven and baked it, then ate it. It’s great served with custard or cream.

Ingredients:

4 apples

oil

2 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

phyllo (also spelled filo) dough

½ jar mincemeat

Instructions:

1. Wash and slice the apples. You can also peel them if you prefer.

2. Fry them lightly in oil with the sugar and cinnamon, until a touch golden and caramelised.

3. Oil an oven-safe dish. Place two sheets of filo dough in it as the bottom.

4. Mix the apples and mincemeat on top of the dough. I used several layers of fruit and filo to make it a little nicer.

5. Top with a piece of dough and fold it all up like a parcel.

6. Bake at 200 C for about 20-25 minutes.

Squash Risotto

I used a kabocha squash, but any type would work well. You can vary the vegetables, as usual.

Ingredients:

1 squash

oil

1 onion

1 tsp honey

5-8 Brussels sprouts

1 vegetable stock cube

250 g risotto rice

boiling water

mint

lemon juice

black pepper

truffle oil

Instructions:

1. Wash the squash and rub it lightly with oil. Roast at 200 C for 60 minutes. Then take it out, halve it, and roast for another 10 or 20 minutes.

2. Dice the onion. Fry it lightly in oil and honey.

3. Wash and halve the Brussels sprouts and add them to the onion. Fry for 5-8 minutes.

4. Add the stock cube. Mash it to break it up.

5. Add the rice. Let it brown slightly with the onion and sprouts (about 2-4 minutes).

6. Pour boiling water over the rice. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then.

7. Once the water has boiled away, add some more. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

8. Peel and de-seed the squash. Chop it into pieces.

9. Test the rice. If it is firm but not crunchy, it’s ready. If it’s too crunchy, add more water and cook a few more minutes, then test again.

10. Put the squash in and stir.

11. Season with mint, lemon juice, black pepper, and truffle oil to taste.

Easy Scrambled Eggs

This is a perfect light and healthy evening meal. I served it recently with my focaccia and it was very soothing for a cold night. It can be varied endlessly.  Add different vegetables or serve with smoked fish or top with fresh herbs.

Ingredients:

5-8 mushrooms

oil

2 large tomatoes or a handful of cherry tomatoes

about 50-75 g spinach

6 eggs

¼ cup milk (I used rice milk)

Instructions:

1. Brush the mushrooms and slice them. Saute them lightly in oil.

2. Wash and slice the tomatoes. Add them and the spinach to the mushrooms.

3. Whisk the eggs and milk. Then add it to the pan.

4. Stir frequently and cook over low heat until just set (just a few minutes). Serve with toast.

300th Post

This is just a digression to note that this is my 300^th post. Over the course of two and half years and over three hundred different recipes (and many more meals than that, obviously), my beloved M has been with me. She’s my sous chef and my taste-tester and my appreciative audience. Most importantly, she’s my amazing, gorgeous, kind wife. Thanks to her for being who and what she is.

And thanks to you for reading this and trying out my recipes!

Roasted Vegetables

This is really easy to vary, but the combination I made worked so well. It was great over couscous for a light, healthy dinner.

Ingredients:

½ swede

2 carrots

1-2 apples

olive oil

1 pinch salt

1 pinch rosemary

Instructions:

1. Wash, peel, and chop the vegetables and apples.

2. Put them in an oven-safe dish and rub with oil.

3. Grind the salt and rosemary together in a mortar and pestle and then sprinkle over the vegetables, or else just sprinkle.

4. Roast for 25-35 minutes, stirring halfway through, at 180 C.

Saffron Cake

Delicious, expensive saffron. Just a little bit goes a long way, as in this cake.

Ingredients:

1 package saffron (0.4 g)

½ cup milk (using rice or soya milk is fine fine)

50 g vegetable oil plus extra for the tin

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 eggs

¾ cup sugar

Instructions:

1. Crush the saffron with a mortar and pestle.

2. Warm it up with the milk. Add the vegetable oil and vanilla.

3. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

4. Whisk the eggs with the sugar until light and fluffy.

5. Carefully fold the saffron milk, the flour, and the eggs together until all mixed, but without losing the eggs’ fluffiness.

6. Oil the cake tin and put the cake mixture in.

7. Bake at 180 C for about 20-30 minutes.

Stuffed Squash

I was able to stop at a gourmet grocery store after a lecture one day and I was happy to see that they had a  nice selection of squash. I got an acorn squash and a kabocha squash. That evening, I baked the acorn squash, and stuffed it with couscous and raisins. A simple, lightly sweet evening meal. M had hers as described below, but I added some chilli peppers to mine for an extra depth of flavour.

Ingredients:
1 squash
oil
1 onion
1-2 tsp honey
couscous (about 50 g per person)
water
1 handful raisins
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:
1. Wash the squash and rub it lightly with oil. Wrap it in aluminium foil and roast it at 200 C for about 30 minutes.
2. Dice the onion and fry it in the oil and honey.
3. Halve the squash and remove the seeds. Put it back in the oven for a few more minutes.
4. Add the couscous to the onion.
5. Boil the water and pour it over the couscous.
6. Add the raisins and cinnamon to the couscous. Cover the couscous and set it aside for about 10 minutes.
7. Stuff the squash halves with couscous and serve.

Vegan Pasta Alfredo

This was really tasted and it reminded me of that rich dish, fettucine alfredo. It was so nice to have a lower-fat, cruelty-free alternative!

Ingredients:
2-3 garlic cloves
oil
1 onion
tofu
2-4 tsp basil
1 tsp miso
pasta
other veg as desired

Instructions:
1. Rub the garlic cloves in some oil and put them in aluminium foil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes at 200 C.
2. Dice the onion and fry it lightly in the oil.
3. Blend the tofu with the basil and miso until smooth.
4. Boil the pasta and add other veg as desired.
5. Serve the pasta with the veg, onions, and the tofu alfredo sauce.

Oatmeal and Raisin Pancakes

M likes porridge, but I like to make pancakes, so this is a perfect compromise dish.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
¾ cup oatmeal
¾ cup spelt flour (or plain flour)
1½ cups soya or rice milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
water
¾ cup raisins
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg (or 2 egg whites)
oil
banana to serve with
honey or agave to serve with

Instructions:
1. Mix the oil, oatmeal, flour, soy milk, baking powder, and baking soda together.
2. Boil the water. Put the raisins in a bowl and pour the water over them.
3. Add it, the cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar to the oatmeal mixture.
4. Lightly beat the egg. Mix it into the mixture. Stir until just blended. Drain the raisins and add them.
5. Fry spoonfuls of the mixture in oil until golden on both sides. Serve with slices of banana and honey or agave.

On Marriage

By the time you read this, M and I will have gotten married. I’ve been so lucky to have M in my life for innumerable reasons, and I’m looking forward to many more years together. I love you, M! You’ve been an amazing partner so far and I am sure you are going to be the best wife imaginable. Thank you for being you.

Quote on Vegetarianism

I do feel that spiritual progress does demand, at some stage, that we should cease to kill our fellow creatures for the satisfaction of our bodily wants. --Gandhi

Lavash Bread

This is easy to pull together, but the hard work is rolling it out. That’s one reason why I’m lucky to have my beloved sous chef, M. She does all the hard work of chopping, kneading, and rolling for me.

You can serve it with any sort of topping, such as hummus, Nutella, ratatouille, etc.

Ingredients:
350 g white bread flour (about 3½ cups) (you can also use a combination of white and wholemeal, so I used 3 cups of white and ½ cup wholemeal)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp seeds (sesame, linseed, poppy, etc)
2 tbsp olive oil
200 ml warm water (about 1 cup)

Instructions:
1. Turn the oven on to 220 C and put the baking tray in to warm up.
2. Mix the ingredients together by hand or in a mixer.
3. Divide the dough into 8-10 pieces and roll the pieces out until quite thing.
4. Bake for 5-10 minutes on a pizza stone or tray, 2-3 pieces at a time.

Mushroom and Tofu Stir-Fry

I used to think I didn’t like mushrooms, but M convinced me to give them another try and I have found I really do enjoy them. I use them in omelettes and stir-fries and with pasta quite a bit. Here I’ve cooked them with tofu, but my beloved can no longer eat soya products, so I can’t make this anymore.

You can easily vary the seasoning by varying the sauces. I loved ume plums (sour plums) in Japan, so I was pleased when I found the ume plum sauce at my local vegetarian store. It adds a distinct tang and is good as a salad dressing or in dishes such as this one.

Ingredients:
oil
1 tsp honey or sugar
¼-½ cabbage
1 handful mushrooms (about 5-8)
200 g tofu
soy or tamari sauce
plum sauce or ume plum seasoning, optional
noodles

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil over low heat and add the honey.
2. Wash and slice the cabbage and mushrooms and fry them in the oil and honey until the mushrooms are darkening, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Chop the tofu and add it to the pan.
4. Season with soy, tamari, and/or plum sauce as desired.
5. Add the noodles and stir for another minute or two, then serve.

Glazed Courgettes and Brussels Sprouts

This is such a wintry side dish but because I make so many different recipes, it’s June as I’m posting it! I served it over couscous, which I spruced up with plain soya yogurt, lemon peel, and lemon juice.

Ingredients:
1 courgette
about 10 Brussels sprouts
1 tsp oil
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Wash the vegetables. Slice the courgette and halve the sprouts.
2. Heat up the oil in a frying pan and lightly fry the veg. Add the honey so that they caramelise.
3. Continue frying for a few moments, then add the lemon juice. Fry 2-3 more moments.
4. The honey and lemon juice will make a little sauce at the bottom of the pan, so serve the veg with the sauce poured over it.

Vegan and Berry Chocolate Cake

This is almost the same as the vegan chocolate cake I posted before, but I added berries. I did a combination of raspberries and cherries, but really any berry would be fine. I’ll make it with blueberries some time too.

You can double the recipe and make two cakes, then put frosting between the layers.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup ground almonds
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch salt
3/4  cup soy milk
175 g (about 6 ounces) tofu
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for the baking tin
1 cup berries

Instructions:
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl or food processor.
2. Add the soy milk to the dry ingredients and mix again.
3. Blend the tofu in a blender until creamy. Add the oil and mix again.
4. Add the tofu to the other ingredients. Mix well. Add the berries last.
5. Oil the baking tin (or line with greaseproof or parchment paper). Pour the batter in.
6. Bake at 180 C for about 20 minutes. Frost if desired.

Roasted Vegetables

This is a simple side dish, but it’s very tasty. Use sugar instead of honey to make it vegan.

Ingredients:
2-3 parsnips and/or carrots
5-6 small potatoes
1 fennel bulb
olive oil
1 tsp honey/sugar
sea salt
black pepper

Instructions:
1. Wash and peel the parsnips and/or carrots and the potatoes and then slice them. Wash and chop the fennel as well. Put the vegetables in an oven-safe dish.
2. Pour olive oil over the vegetables.
3. Roast at 200 C for about 10 minutes. Then add the honey/sugar and salt and pepper to taste and stir.
4. Roast for another 20 minutes, stirring now and then.

Fish Stew

You can vary this according to what you have on hand (for example, use coriander but not lime or curry paste) or which type of fish you like. You can also add prawns. I made this spicy for me by adding dried chilli and Tabasco, but I left it milder for my sweetheart.

Ingredients:

around 6 waxy potatoes

1-2 carrots

a couple of small pieces of lemongrass

water

one head of spring greens or a similar amount of spinach

oil

around 200 g fish (I used coley)

lime leaves

curry paste

coriander

black pepper

1 tin coconut milk

Instructions:

1. Wash and slice the potatoes. Wash, peel, and slice the carrots.

2. Put them and the lemongrass in the water and boil for about 10 minutes, until the potato has softened. Drain.

3. Lightly steam the greens and the oil.

4. Remove the skin and bones from the fish and chop it into pieces.

5. Put the greens, potatoes, carrots, and fish in a pot and season/spice according to taste. Add the coconut milk and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes.

Whole-Wheat Olive Focaccia

This is not exactly focaccia, not like the recipe I posted a few days ago. This is more inspired by focaccia. I wanted to make a whole-wheat loaf with pieces of olives in it and I wanted to use the focaccia method. This requires more kneading and you won’t end up with the light bread you get from focaccia, but it is tasty.

Ingredients:
5 cups brown (whole-wheat) strong bread flour (500 g)
1½ packages dried yeast (each package is 7 g or ¼ oz)
1 tsp salt
5 tbsp olive oil
2 cups tepid water (about 400 ml)
1 tin olives (about 200 g)
extra olive oil
warm water
sea salt
rosemary, optional

Instructions:
1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt, olive oil, and water together with a wooden spoon in a large bowl.
2. Turn out onto an oiled surface and knead well, for 5-10 minutes.
3. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
4. Knead again, for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Slice the olives and roll them into the dough (save some to decorate the top, as desired). Shape into a loaf.
6. Dip your fingers in warm water and made indentations in the loaf.
7. Sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt, and rosemary.
8. Bake 220 C for about 15-20 minutes.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Here’s a classic, vegan style! You can top with some shredded cheese, if desired.

Ingredients:
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
oil
1 tsp sugar (or honey if you’re not vegan)
1 package soya mince or other non-meat product (about 250 g for 2 people)
2 tins tomatoes (whole or chopped)
spaghetti (about 100 g per person)
water
black pepper
olive oil

Instructions:
1. Chop the onion and garlic and brown them in oil. Add the sugar so they caramelise slightly.
2. Add the mince to the pan and let it brown for about 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes (break them up if they are whole) and their juice.
3. Boil the spaghetti in the water.
4. Season the sauce with black pepper and olive oil and serve over the noodles.

Focaccia

Such an easy and delicious bread. We make it a lot and I’ve been trying variations on it to come up with the best recipe.

Ingredients:
5 cups strong bread flour (500 g)
1 package dried yeast (7 g or ¼ oz)
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1½ cups tepid water (about 400 ml)
extra olive oil
warm water
sea salt
rosemary, optional

Instructions:
1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt, olive oil, and water together with a wooden spoon in a large bowl.
2. Turn out onto an oiled surface and knead well, for 5-10 minutes. Shape into a loaf.
3. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour.
4. Dip your fingers in warm water and made indentations in the loaf.
5. Sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt, and rosemary.
6. Bake 220 C for about 15-20 minutes.

Vegan Spanokopita, or Spinach and “Cheese” Pie

Since we’ve been avoiding dairy at home, I wanted to try to remake some of my old cheesey favourites in a new, vegan-friendly way. Spanokopita, a spinach and cheese pie, has long been one of my staple recipes, and this is my new vegan version.

Alas, since I first started making it, I found out M can’t have tofu, so now I leave that out and add other vegetables.

Ingredients:
1-2 onions, depending on how oniony you like it
2-3 cloves garlic, optional, also depending on taste
2-4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
2 pounds spinach (if fresh, it should be washed carefully, and if frozen, it should be well thawed)
175 g tofu
1 cup vegan “cheese”
½ cup soya yogurt or oat cream
handful of black olives
30 g (or so) pine nuts
black pepper
1 dash salt
1 package filo dough

Instructions:

1. Chop the onion/s. Mince the garlic, if using it. Preheat the oven to 200 C.
2. Gently fry the onions in some of the olive oil until golden, then add the garlic, if using it. Add the sugar so the onions caramelise.
3. Defrost the spinach, if frozen, or steam it, if fresh.
4. Chop the tofu and the cheese and mix it with the soya yogurt.
5. Chop the olives. Mix them with the pine nuts, and the tofu, then add in the spinach and the onions. Mix everything together well.
6. Lightly oil a casserole dish. Line it with four sheets of filo, layered over one another so that the pieces hang over the edges of the dish.
7. Spread out some of the filling on top of the filo.
8. Place another sheet on top, then some more filling. Repeat until the filling is all used up and then cover it with another sheet of dough. Brush it lightly with olive oil and tuck any excess edges in.
9. Bake the spanokopita for 30-50 minutes, checking after about 25 minutes to see how golden and ready it is.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet Dinner Rolls

Add cardamom or cinnamon. The recipe can easily be doubled. You can also leave out the sugar and add seeds and/or garlic and/or herbs.

You can use whole wheat flour instead of white or a combination thereof.

Ingredients:
¼ cup warm water
¼ cup warm milk (I used soya or rice)
3 tbsp sugar
4 g fast-action dry yeast (about 2 tsp)
40 g butter (or about 3 tbsp vegetable oil)
1 egg
1 pinch salt
2 cups flour
2 tbsp butter

Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients up through the flour in a food processor at medium speed.
2. Leave to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
3. Knead the dough lightly (flour your hands as the dough is a bit sticky) then shape into 6-8 rolls.
4. Melt the 2 tbsp butter and brush it over the rolls.
5. Bake at 200 C for about 10 minutes.

Queer Quote

If male homosexuals are called "gay," then female homosexuals should be called "ecstatic." --Shelly Roberts

Soda Bread

A friend of ours likes soda bread, so I often make it for him when he comes over. It’s so easy and needs no rising time.

Ingredients:
5 cups flour (I used 2 cups spelt flour, 3 cups regular white flour)
1½ cups milk (I have used rice milk or soya milk)
2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp vinegar (I had balsamic on hand, so that’s what I used)
1 dash salt
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

Instructions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together by hand or in a mixer until thoroughly mixed.
2. Knead for a few minutes and shape into a round loaf.
3. Score the top of the loaf.
4. Bake for about 30-40 minutes at 200 C.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble

I recently made an apple and blackberry crumble with a nutty crumble topping. You can vary what fruits you use and what nuts you use for the crumble topping, or you can replace the nuts with oats.

Ingredients:
5 apples
150 g blackberries
50 g butter, plus extra for the dish
¾ cup flour
½ cup almond meal
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon, if desired
1 dash lemon juice (I just sprinkled a bit of lemon juice on top of the apples so they didn’t brown)
cream or ice cream, as desired

Instructions:
1. Wash and slice the applies. Layer them and the blackberries in an oven-safe dish.
2. Mix the other ingredients into crumbs.
3. Top the fruit with the crumbs.
4. Bake at 180 C for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with cream or ice cream as desired.

Tofu and Spring Greens

This was really simple but tasty and satisfying.

Ingredients:
100-150 g spring greens (or spinach or cabbage)
a bit of butter (about 15 g)
water (about 1 tbsp or thereabouts)
vegetable oil
tamari sauce, to taste
honey (about 1 tbsp, but depends on taste)
firm silken tofu (about 175 g)
noodles (I used medium stir-fry noodles)

Instructions:
1. Wash and chop the spring greens. Put them with the butter and water in a pan and put the lid on. Steam over low heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Heat up the oil in a frying pan. Add the tamari sauce and honey.
3. Dice the tofu and add it to the frying pan. Stir it around so it gets covered with the tamari sauce and honey. Cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the spring greens and the noodles. Stir well. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, then serve.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

You can double the recipe and make two cakes, then put frosting between the layers. I used a simple frosting made of cocoa powder, soy cream, and icing sugar. The end result was a chocolatey, gooey cake that was just perfect for a Friday evening.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
½ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup ground almonds
½ cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 pinch salt
½ cup soy milk
175 g (about 6 ounces) tofu
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for the baking tin
¼ cup hot coffee or water

Instructions:
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl or food processor.
2. Add the soy milk to the dry ingredients and mix again.
3. Blend the tofu in a blender until creamy. Add the oil and mix again.
4. Add the tofu and the hot coffee or water to the other ingredients. Mix well.
5. Oil the baking tin (or line with greaseproof or parchment paper). Pour the batter in.
6. Bake at 180 C for about 20 minutes. Frost if desired.

Pain Aux Raisins

Raisin croissants, hot, buttery, sweet. This is one of M’s favourites and when our local Sainsbury’s stopped selling theirs, I vowed to learn to make this dish for my beloved. It took me awhile to work up the nerve, because it seemed rather complicated, but one day this autumn, I did. M helped me with the rolling out, because as usual she is my sous chef. The dough is rather sticky, which surprised me, but it all turned out delicious and beautiful nonetheless.

Ingredients:
water
1¼ cups raisins
1 package dried yeast (7 grams or 4 tsp)
½ cup lukewarm milk or water
3½ cups strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
½ cup milk (soy adds a slight nuttiness of flavour)
¼-1/3 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
250 g butter (divided up into 110 g, 110 g, and 30 g)
frangipane (see previous post)
1 egg
1 tbsp milk (again, soy is fine)

Instructions:
1. Boil the water and put the raisins in there to soak.
2. Mix the yeast and lukewarm milk or water together in a large mixer.
3. Add the flour, salt, milk, sugar, and 30 g of butter. Mix well with the bread hook.
4. Shape the dough into a ball and cover it loosely. Set aside for 30 or so minutes.
5. Roll the dough out into a long, thin rectangle. Let it rise in a warm place (an oven that had been warmed up and now is turned off, for example) for about an hour.
6. Cut bits of 110 g of butter and place it along the rectangle. Fold the rectangle up in thirds (i.e. bring in one long side to the middle, then the other). Roll out the dough again, letting the butter get mashed into it. Roll it into a rectangle and leave it to rest for another 30 or 40 minutes.
7. Do the same as step 6 with the last 110 g of butter. Fold the dough up, roll it out, leave it to rest.
8. Roll the dough out and spread it with the frangipane. Then drain the raisins and distribute them on the frangipane.
9. Roll the dough up into a log, starting from one long side. Then slice through the log. Depending on how large you make the rolls, you could get 10-20 out of the log.
10. Set the raisin rolls out on baking trays and leave them to rise one last time in a warm place for another 30 or so minutes.
11. Whisk the egg and milk together and brush the rolls with the mixture.
12. Bake the pain aux raisins for 12-15 minutes at 180 C, until golden.

Frangipane (Almond Paste)

This is great in baked goods such as pain aux raisins (see the next post) or as a layer in a cake. It adds a subtle almond flavour.

Ingredients:
½ cup almond meal
¼ cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 tbsp butter

Instructions:
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a blender until fairly smooth.
2. Spread on pastries or cakes before baking them.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had a craving and just had to make some soft and gooey chocolate chip cookies. Probably next time I’d reverse the measurements for the sugars (i.e. ½ cup brown and ¾ cup white), as brown is just a bit too caramelly for my taste.

Ingredients:
¾ cup butter (about 150 g)
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
¼ cup cocoa
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs (or 1 egg and 1 extra yolk)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
1½ cups chocolate chips (about 200-300 g) (I just chopped up a block of baking chocolate, so I had chocolate shards more than chocolate chips)

Instructions:
1. Melt the butter, then mix it with the sugars and the cocoa, blending so it gets airy (you can use a mixer).
2. Mix in the vanilla and eggs, until fluffy. Then mix the salt, baking soda, baking powder, and flour together, and then carefully blend the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
3. Add the chocolate chips and mix until everything is just blender.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a baking tray and bake at 165 C for about 15 minutes.

Quote on Vegetarianism

For all we know that English people are/ Fed upon beef - I won't say much of beer/ Because 'tis liquor only, /and being far/ From this my subject, has no business here; / We know too, they are very fond of war,/ A pleasure - like all pleasures - rather dear;/ So were the Cretans - from which I infer/ That beef and battle both were owing her.

--Lord Byron

Onion Tart

This is very simple but looks pretty if you use red onions (you can use white too, of course) and it is especially good with goat’s cheese on top. This time, though, I just used mozzarella. I’ve also done it with cheddar. But you don’t need cheese at all, if you prefer.

Ingredients:
1 block puff pastry (about 250 g)
3 large red onions or 5 small ones
2 garlic cloves
oil
1 tbsp honey
1 dash balsamic vinegar
100-200 g black olives (depending on how you feel about olives)
black pepper
1 tsp mint
cheese, optional

Instructions:
1. Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle and put it on a baking tray.
2. Dice the onions and garlic and fry them lightly in the oil. Add the honey and the balsamic vinegar and continue frying until caramelised and they have a slightly golden hue.
3. Chop the olives.
4. Spread the onions and olives on the puff pastry. Season with black pepper and mint. Add pieces of cheese, if desired.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes at 180 C.

Potato, Fennel and Onion Casserole

I saw this in Vegetarian Living a few months ago in a slightly different format (they had no onions, for example, and with tomatoes added at the end) and thought I’d try it. It would be good as a side dish, but was a bit too starchy as a main course.

Ingredients:
5-6 potatoes
1 fennel
1 onion
2 spring onions
3-5 cloves of garlic
1 tsp oil for the dish
2 cups (about 500 ml) milk or cream (I used soy, but Vegetarian Living recommended regular)
salt
pepper

Instructions:
1. Wash all the vegetables and peel as needed. Thinly slice them all.
2. Oil a casserole dish. Place the vegetables in it.
3. Pour the milk or cream over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bake at 200 C for about 60 minutes, checking and stirring partway through.

Peanut Tofu with Noodles

I love fast, healthy meals. This kind of recipe can be varied endlessly.

Ingredients:
1 container tofu (about 300 g)
tamari sauce (you can use soy)
oil
1 chilli pepper
1 red pepper
2-4 spring onions
1 package sugar snap peas (about 200 g)
5-7 tbsp peanut butter (I use crunchy to get nice peanut bits)
1 tsp lemon juice
noodles (Thai-style ribbon noodles work well with this, but any kind is fine)
1-2 eggs, as desired

Instructions:
1. Sprinkle the tofu with tamari sauce and marinate it for a few minutes. Bake it in the oven at 150 C for 10 or so minutes, so it gets a bit of colour.
2. Warm up the oil. Wash and dice the chilli and pepper and fry them in the oil.
3. Wash and chop the onions and wash and trim the sugar snap peas and add them. Remove the tofu from the oven, dice, and throw into the pan.
4. Add the peanut butter, lemon juice, and another dash each of oil and tamari. Cook over low heat for 5 or so minutes.
5. Put the noodles in, and the eggs if using them. If you use the eggs, stir them so they break into small ribbons. Cook for a few more minutes, then serve.

Flapjacks

Flapjacks in the US refer to pancakes, but in the UK, they’re a sort of biscuit or bar made from oats and honey or golden syrup (I dislike golden syrup so I use honey).

Ingredients:
175 g butter
175 g honey (1/2 cup)
¾ cup sugar
spices, as desired (I used a bit of cinnamon and ginger, and also a splash of lemon juice, though that’s not technically a spice)
350 g oats (4 cups)
½ cup raisins, optional (I soaked them in boiling water first to plump them up)

Instructions:
1. Melt the butter and add the honey and sugar. Warm until the sugar dissolves. Mix in spices, if you are using them.
2. Mix in the oats and raisins.
3. Grease an oven-proof dish and put the oat mixture in it.
4. Bake at 180 C for about 15-20 minutes, then slice into squares.

Lentil, Spinach and Feta over Rice

The rice looks very “dirty” but tastes very good!

Ingredients:
¾ cup puy lentils
3 cups water
¾ cup rice
100 g spinach
1 tbsp mint, tarragon, or other herbs
1 tbsp honey
75 g feta cheese

Instructions:
1. Rinse the lentils and bring them to the boil in 2 cups of water. Once they have started boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 12 minutes.
2. Rinse the rice and add it to the lentils along with the last cup of water. Simmer for another 12 minutes.
3. Wash the spinach and add it, the herbs and the honey. Simmer for about 3-5 minutes, with the cover on, so the spinach wilts.
4. Chop the feta and add it to the pan. Continue cooking over low heat for a couple more minutes, so the feta softens, then stir and serve.

Plum Crumble

This is really easy and fast. You can substitute many other fruits for the plums.

Ingredients:
6-8 plums
50 g butter, plus extra for the dish
¾ cup flour
½ cup oats
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup sugar
1 dash lemon juice
cream or ice cream, as desired

Instructions:
1. Wash, halve and stone the plums.
2. Grease an oven-safe dish. Place the plums cut-side down in the dish.
3. Mix the butter, flour, oats, cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice into a crumbly mixture. Put it on top of the plums.
4. Bake at 180 C for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Serve with cream or ice cream as desired.

Mackerel Soufflé

This was inspired by a recipe I saw in Delicious magazine. Smoked mackerel is a pretty cheap fish that you can use in a number of dishes, such as salads, omelettes, and this soufflé.

Ingredients:
15 g butter, plus more for the dish.
1/8 cup flour (about 15 g)
2 tbsp hot horseradish
1 cup milk
250 g smoked mackerel
black pepper
3 eggs

Instructions:
1. Grease an oven-safe dish. Melt the butter over low heat, then add the flour and the horseradish.
2. After another couple of minutes, add the milk until it gets warm.
3. Remove the skin and bones from the mackerel and then flake it into small pieces. Add it to the milk. Season with black pepper.
4. Separate the eggs. Add the yolks to the mackerel and mix. Whisk the egg whites.
5. Carefully mix the two mixtures together, then put them in the dish.
6. Bake at 200 C for 15-20 minutes.

Coming-Out Stories

Some of you might enjoy this blog, which features coming-out stories. What’s your coming-out story?

Morning Glory Muffins

Don’t snicker at the name – these are common muffins in the US, where “morning glory” has a much more innocent meaning (it’s a flower and not something men get in the morning).

These are pretty healthy and really tasty. You can also add nuts or coconut.

Ingredients:
1 apple
3-5 carrots (about 2 cups worth)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup raisins
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs

Instructions:
1. Peel, core and grate the apple and peel and grate the carrots.
2. Add the oil and raisins to the apple and carrots.
3. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, vanilla and cinnamon together.
4. Beat the eggs and mix them with the dry ingredients.
5. Mix the eggs with the apple and carrots. Mix everything together well.
6. Put in muffin tins and bake for 18-20 minutes at 170 C.

Rice Pudding

M likes rice pudding but I’m not so keen (perhaps this is because I’m not English and didn’t grow up with it). Still, I aim to please, so this is the dish I came up with.

Ingredients:
butter or oil to grease the dish, plus 1 tbsp butter if desired
½ cup pudding rice
4 cups milk (rice or soya milk work fine)
½ cup sugar, or more to taste
4 tsp cinnamon, or more to taste
1 tsp nutmeg, or more to taste
2 tsp vanilla, or more to taste
½ cup raisins, or more to taste

Instructions:
1. Grease an oven-safe dish and put the pudding rice, 2½ cups milk, ¼ cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon in it.
2. Bake at 150 C for 40 minutes
3. Stir, then grate in the nutmeg. Add another 1 cup of milk and the vanilla. Bake for another 20 minutes.
4. Stir again, then add the rest of the milk and cinnamon, and the raisins. Also add the 1 tbsp butter if you want a more buttery taste.
5. Bake for another 20 minutes, then serve.

Chinese-Style Fried Rice

This is a great way to use leftover rice and it’s best if you make the rice the day before, as that somehow affects the starch so that the rice gets crispier. You can make the rice the same day, however.

This can also be easily varied by adding any sort of vegetables you have on hand and any protein you want (Chinese restaurants often serve this with chicken, but I use tofu or seitan, obviously).

Ingredients:
1 onion
oil (sesame oil works well in this if you have it)
about 1 tbsp chopped coriander
vegetables (around 200 g) (I used broccoli, spinach, and peas this time, but corn and carrots are also good)
white rice (about 40 g uncooked rice per person) – cooked the night before and left in the fridge overnight
tofu, if desired
soy or tamari sauce to taste (about 1/8 to ¼ cup)
2 eggs

Instructions:
1. Dice the onion and fry it in the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the coriander.
2. Defrost the vegetables, if using frozen, or wash and chop them if using fresh.
3. Add the rice to the onion and fry it for a few moments. Then add the vegetables. Dice the tofu, if using it, and add it and the soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry, adding more oil if needed.
4. Whisk the eggs and add them to the pan just a few moments before everything is done. Stir-fry while stirring for 3-4 more minutes, until the eggs are just set into strips. Then serve the rice.

Creamy Smoked Salmon Pasta

Since my partner isn’t a vegetarian, I do sometimes make fish dishes at home for her (I haven’t cooked any meat since I lived with my parents as a teenager). Trimmings of fish are much cheaper than regular fish and can be used in pies, flans, pasta, and many other dishes.

Ingredients:
1 onion
oil
honey or sugar
75 g green peas (frozen is fine)
pasta (about 75 g per person)
water
150 g smoked salmon (I used trimmings, which are cheaper and taste just as good)
soy cream (regular is fine too)
pumpkin seeds
chives

Instructions:
1. Dice the onion and fry it in the oil. After a few minutes, add the honey or sugar, so the onion turns brown and caramelises.
2. Add the peas to the onion. Set the pasta to boil (depending on the type of pasta, this could take 2-10 minutes).
3. Mix the salmon and cream in with the onions. Stir and cook while the pasta is boiling.
4. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over the salmon, then chop fresh chives and add them as well.
5. Serve the pasta with the creamy salmon sauce over it.

Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian

I have mentioned my cousins before here; I have no siblings, so these two guys are like brothers. One of them very thoughtfully bought me Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian cookbook.

It’s a James Beard Foundation award-winning book, so you know it’s good, but besides the accolades, it’s a great cookbook. It has over 600 recipes, all vegetarian, and they are divided up into categories such as dried beans and peas, grains, dairy, sauces, and so on. Jaffrey also has a list of helpful resources.

Some people are really unsure about how to make healthy vegetarian food, but this book offers a huge number of tips and recipes. Nothing is too complicated to make either. I personally especially love the aubergine dishes, but most of Jaffrey’s recipes are great.

I am lucky to have received such a wonderful book as a present from an equally wonderful relative.

Hearty Barley and Black-Eyed Pea Stew

As the weather gets chillier, my mind (and my stomach) turns to heartier food. Actually, I made this dish at the very end of August, after a cold weekend in which M and I had gotten drenched in a rain-and-hailstorm. But I’ll be making it again now that it’s even colder.

This was not M’s favourite meal, but it was very healthy and filling.

You can vary this with any grain and any legume and any spice combination and any added vegetable/s; be creative.

Ingredients:
about 100 g black-eyed peas
water
about 150 g pearl barley
about 100 g spinach (fresh or frozen)
tomato purée
green curry paste
olives
soy cream or yogurt

Instructions:
1. Soak the black-eyed peas overnight in water.
2. Boil the barley in water, then leave to simmer for about an hour, checking and stirring every so often (check the instructions on the package as well).
3. Drain the black-eyed peas and then bring them to a boil in fresh water. Leave them to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.
4. Add the spinach, tomato purée, and green curry paste to the barley.
5. Slice the olives and add them.
6. Stir the black-eyed peas into the barley, then swirl in some soy cream or yogurt. Serve with another dollop of cream or yogurt.

Brownies

These are chewy and rich. Use only white sugar if you want a bit less depth of flavour. You could also ice these with any of the frostings I’ve posted recently.

Ingredients:
115 g butter, plus extra for the pan
200 g chocolate
¼ cup cocoa
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 pinch salt
2 eggs

Instructions:
1. Melt the butter and chocolate together, then mix in the cocoa, sugars, vanilla, flour and salt.
2. Whisk the eggs and blend them into the rest of the batter.
3. Grease the dish. Pour the batter in.
4. Bake at 175 C for around 20 minutes.

Chocolate and Coffee Buttercream Frosting

This recipe makes enough frosting for the cupcakes I posted in the last recipe. I used soy cream, which doesn’t harden as much as regular dairy cream, so I spread this on the cupcakes rather than piping it from an icing bag. It still looks and tastes great, though.

Ingredients:
100 g butter
2 tbsp milk or cream (cream makes it richer; I used soy cream this time)
4 tbsp cold coffee (or more if you want a stronger coffee flavour)
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup icing sugar

Instructions:
1. In a mixer, mix the butter, cream, coffee, and cocoa together until pretty smooth.
2. Add the icing sugar, about ¼ cup at a time. Mix well.
3. Taste and add more cream or vanilla if needed.
4. Frost the cupcakes (or cake) with the frosting.